Valencia: Tiago Monteiro preview

The Circuit de la Comunitat Valencia Ricardo Tormo is pulling out all the
stops for the third meeting of the WTCC (World Touring Car Championship),
which will be only the second meeting for Tiago Monteiro. The man behind
the wheel of the Seat Leon...

The Circuit de la Comunitat Valencia Ricardo Tormo is pulling out all the
stops for the third meeting of the WTCC (World Touring Car Championship),
which will be only the second meeting for Tiago Monteiro. The man behind
the wheel of the Seat Leon No.18 car made his debut in the discipline at
Zandvoort just two weeks ago. Tiago impressed many by being the most
all-around competitive of the Seat drivers at the edge of the North Sea,
and he hopes to conquer the Mediterranean despite some difficult
conditions.

"After Zandvoort, everyone was delighted with my adaptation and level of
performance with Seat," explains the Spanish constructor's newest
recruit. "Between Zandvoort and Valencia I traveled to Barcelona for the
Spanish F1 Grand Prix. I saw a lot of old acquaintances and I worked on
my future... Then we shot a TV advert for the Caixa Geral de Depositos
before going to the Valencia circuit."

"I know this track well since I won in the World Series by Nissan there
in 2004. It's also a track visited often by F1, and I have my marks
there, even though they are obviously different in the Seat Leon," Tiago
adds. "The circuit has some high download corner, it is quite twisty, and
I am not sure our chassis is totally adapted for it. It's a circuit that
every driver knows by heart, and that will level the playing field."

In the admirable hope of revving up the spectacle since Zandvoort, the
FIA presented Seat with a poisoned chalice: more or less 10 extra
horsepower, at the cost of an additional 25kg in ballast. "This new
measure does not apply to my Seat Leon" Tiago notes, however. "A motor
has to last two races and I will only be on my second one in Valencia. My
goal for Valencia? Score points and continue getting to know my car and
my team!"

Both races will be re-telecast on the Eurosport Channel, Sunday starting
at 2PM (UK time).